Start-up method for a wind turbine and a control assembly

• US 9,523,282 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wenclik, Mateusz Pawel, Korim, David Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bobish, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/783,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 7/00 Rotors with blades adjustable in operation; Control thereof for reversing F01D1/30
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/026 for starting-up
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/4031 as in toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/98 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/00 Control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method for starting-up a wind turbine having a rotor with at least one rotor blade is provided. The method includes rotating the at least one rotor blade towards a main operating position using a pitch drive system including a pitch bearing supporting the at least one rotor blade, and a pitch-driving pinion meshing with the pitch bearing; and activating a pump to feed a lubricant to a lubrication pinion meshing with one of the pitch bearing and the pitch-driving pinion before the at least one rotor blade reaches the main operating position so that the lubricant is mainly transferred to a load portion of the pitch bearing and/or a load portion of the pitch-driving pinion. Further, a control assembly for use with the wind turbine is provided.

Claims

1. A method for starting-up a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor comprising at least one rotor blade, said method comprising:

rotating the at least one rotor blade towards a main operating position using a pitch drive system comprising a pitch bearing supporting the at least one rotor blade, and a pitch-driving pinion meshing with the pitch bearing;

activating a pump to feed a lubricant to a lubrication pinion meshing with one of the pitch bearing or the pitch-driving pinion before the at least one rotor blade reaches the main operating position so that the lubricant is selectively transferred to at least one of a load portion of the pitch bearing or a load portion of the pitch-driving pinion;

defining a pitch-value angular range of the at least one rotor blade corresponding to the load portion of the pitch bearing or the pitch-driving pinion;

wherein activation of the pump is started at a first pre-defined pitch angle prior to the at least one rotor blade reaching the pitch-value angular range, and maintaining pitch of the at least one rotor blade at substantially the first pre-defined pitch angle for a time sufficient for the lubricant to reach the lubrication pinion; and

thereafter, pitching of the at least one rotor blade to a second pre-defined pitch angle that corresponds to an upper value of the pitch-value range, wherein a pitch difference between the first and second pre-defined pitch angles is computed to allow lubricant delivered to the lubrication pinion to transfer to the load portion of the pitch bearing or the pitch-driving pinion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the main operating position is a fully powered position of the at least one rotor blade.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pitch bearing comprises a first tooth, wherein the pitch-driving pinion comprises a second tooth which is engaged with the first tooth when the at least one rotor blade is in the main operating position, and wherein the second pre-defined value which corresponds to a pitch-angle value of the at least one rotor blade at which the lubrication pinion is adapted to transfer the lubricant to one of the first tooth or the second tooth.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a difference between the first pre-defined value and the second pre-defined value substantially corresponds to a full rotation of the pitch-driving pinion.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein an absolute value of a pitching speed of the at least one rotor blade is reduced from an initial pitching speed after the pitch-angle has reached the first pre-defined value.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

monitoring a speed of the rotor of the wind turbine;

or

stopping the pump when the speed of the rotor is outside a desired range.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine further comprises a generator which is configured to feed electrical power to a grid, and wherein the pump is activated prior to feeding electric power to the grid.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

rotating the at least one rotor blade into the main operating position;

feeding electric power to a grid after activating the pump;

or

stopping the pump before the at least one rotor blade is in the main operating position.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is activated after a pre-defined normal operating time of the wind turbine.

10. A method for starting-up a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor comprising at least one rotor blade, and a pitch drive system coupled to the at least one rotor blade and configured to rotate the at least one rotor blade about a longitudinal axis of the at least one rotor blade, said method comprising:

rotating the at least one rotor blade from an idling position at least close to a first predefined pitch position before a main lubricating position in which a lubricating assembly is configured to transfer a lubricant to a portion of the pitch drive system which is exposed to mechanical loads when the at least one rotor blade is in a main operating position;

maintaining the at least one rotor blade at substantially the first predefined pitch position while transferring the lubricant to the portion of the pitch drive system while lubricating assembly prior to the at least one rotor blade is at least close to reaching the main lubricating position; and

;

thereafter, transferring the lubricant from the lubricating assembly to the pitch drive system while controlling pitch speed of the at least one rotor blade so that a defined amount of the lubricant is transferred prior to the at least one rotor blade pitching to the main operating position; and

rotating the at least one rotor blade into the main operating position.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the pitch-system comprises a pitch bearing connected to the at least one rotor blade and comprising a first tooth, a pitch-driving pinion meshing with the pitch bearing and comprising a second tooth which is engaged with the first tooth when the at least one rotor blade is in the main operating position, wherein the lubricating assembly comprises a lubrication pinion meshing with one of the pitch bearing or the pitch-driving pinion, and wherein one of the first tooth or the second tooth forms the portion of the pitch drive system to which the lubricant is transferred.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lubricating assembly further comprises a pump connected to the lubrication pinion, and wherein the pump is activated at the first predefined pitch position of the at least one rotor blade.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first predefined pitch position has an angular distance to the main lubricating position, the angular distance substantially corresponding to a full rotation of the pitch-driving pinion.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the wind turbine further comprises a generator connected to the rotor, further comprising at least one of:

rotating, prior to rotating the at least one rotor blade at least close to the main lubricating position, the rotor blade from a feather position into the idling position;

connecting the generator and a grid;

feeding electric power from the generator into the grid;

or

stopping the pump after connecting the generator.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one rotor blade is not rotated back into a feather position prior to rotating the at least one rotor blade into the main operating position.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method is repeated after operating the wind turbine with at least one rotor blade substantially at the main operating position for a pre-defined operating time.

17. A control assembly for use with a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor including at least one rotor blade, said control assembly comprising:

a pitch drive system coupled to the at least one rotor blade, the pitch drive system being adapted to rotate the at least one rotor blade about a longitudinal axis of the at least one rotor blade;

a lubricating assembly coupled to the pitch drive system; and

,

a control system being communicatively coupled to said pitch drive system and the lubrication assembly, said control system being configured to control;

rotating the at least one rotor blade from an idling position to a first predefined pitch position before at least close to a main lubricating position in which the lubricating assembly is configured to transfer a lubricant to a portion of the pitch drive system which is exposed to mechanical loads when the at least one rotor blade is in a main operating position;

maintaining the at least one rotor blade at substantially the first predefined pitch position while transferring the lubricant to the portion of the pitch drive system while lubricating assembly prior to the at least one rotor blade is at least close to reaching the main lubricating position; and

;

thereafter, transferring the lubricant from the lubricating assembly to the pitch drive system while controlling pitch speed of the at least one rotor blade so that a defined amount of the lubricant is transferred prior to the at least one rotor blade pitching to the main operating position; and

rotating the at least one rotor blade into the main operating position.

18. The control assembly according to claim 17, wherein the pitch-system comprises a pitch bearing connected to the at least one rotor blade and comprising a first tooth, a pitch-driving pinion meshing with the pitch bearing and comprising a second tooth which is engaged with the first tooth when the at least one rotor blade is in the main operating position, wherein the lubricating assembly comprises a lubrication pinion meshing with one of the pitch bearing or the pitch-driving pinion, and a pump connected to the lubrication pinion, and wherein one of the first tooth or the second tooth forms the portion of the pitch drive system to which the lubricant is to be transferred.